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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · bank · court · plane · perch · ball · chip · wax

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bank — of a river
  7. chip — for betting
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. perch — the fish
  17. wax — to grow
  18. court — for sport
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. court — of law
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a great time
  24. court — of a king

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com